Relief to Big B: HC stays court order on land deal

Lucknow, June 8: In a temporary respite to mega star Amitabh Bachchan, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court today stayed the order of the Faizabad commisioner's court which had declared as illegal, the allotment of farming land to him in Barabanki district.

The court also admitted the petition filed by the Bollywood icon challenging the Faizabad commissioner court's order.

The bench, comprising Justice Devi Prasad Singh, stayed the Faizabad commissioner court's judgement till further orders and posted the matter for further hearing on July 23.

The bench also gave the Uttar Pradesh government four weeks' time to file a counter and two weeks' time to the petitioner (Amitabh Bachchan) to file a rejoinder.

On Tuesday, Bachchan had moved the HC seeking respite in the matter. His counsel Gaurav Bhatia had filed the writ on his behalf.

Citing violation of rules in the revenue record entry, Faizabad Division Additional Commissioner Vidyasagar Prasad had, on May 31, quashed the order of former Barabanki District Magistrate Ramashankar Sahu alloting farming land to Big B.

Earlier, Barabanki DM Ashish Kumar Goyal had also scrapped the allotment to the actor by his predecessor Sahu.

The actor's petition claimed that the Commissioner's order had transgressed his jurisdiction and Bachchan was not given an opportunity to be heard.

Bachchan's counsel had yesterday contended that the entry in consolidation records for allotment to Bachchan was legal and the Commissioner had passed the order against the principle of 'natural justice' without giving an opportunity to hear him.

However, the state government counsel claimed the land in the said village could be given to only a farmer of the village and none else.

In his order, Mr Prasad had said under section 52 of the Consolidation Act, the collectorate had the power to amend an erroneous entry in the revenue records.

A total of 4.142 hectare land was entered in the name of Amitabh Bachchan, s/o Harivansh Rai and resident of 17, Clive Road, Allahabad.

UNI

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